Notes on AHTF-verse Elemental Affinities
Elemental affinities in this version of the Narutoverse follow a discrete scale, from E- to S-rank (with up to two pluses in between). The higher the rank, the more chakra control and reserves are required. Your natural affinity has to be at least one rank above the attempted technique to accomplish it with half the hand seals required; and three ranks above to accomplish it with a fourth of the hand seals required. Higher ranks also mean that techniques that have equal and/or lesser rank require less chakra to use. Secondary and Acquired affinities are harder to use; while secondary affinities require only 50% more chakra control and reserves required for their techniques, elements in direct opposition to yours double the chakra control and reserves required after ranking... unless you have a Kekkei Genkai / Bloodline Limit that allows opposing elements to coexist. The elusive EX rank EX Rank in elemental manipulation does not imply outright mastery and/or the ability to spam S-ranked elemental techniques like peanuts. The EX rank is, rather, where your primary affinity manifests in ways that are outside the norm of elemental affinities. Off the scale, so to speak. Examples of possible EX rank causes are: * Kekkei Genkai / Bloodline Limits (examples below) * Fusion elements (i.e. Wood Release and Ice Release) * Heredity * Dojutsu Examples of EX rank manifestations: * The Lightning Cutter being both easier to use and less of a chakra drain than the Chidori (Alicia Testarossa, EX-rank Lightning affinity) * All normal jutsu being easier to use when the Lightning element is added, i.e. Lightning Release: Shadow Clone, Lightning Release: Body Flicker (Precia Testarossa, EX-rank Lightning affinity) * Hashirama Senju's Wood Release, which is functionally closer to Sage Techniques or even Life Release (if measured, his Wood Release would easily be an EX-rank) * Tobirama Senju's Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique done with just two hand seals quantify him as having an EX-rank Water affinity. * Naruto Uzumaki is listed as having an EX-rank Wind affinity, but apart from Wind Release: Shadow Clone Technique, he has shown no exceptional feat of elemental manipulation so far (the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken he used in Twin Fates chapter 2 is not considered a pure ninjutsu as he used it in conjunction with his Device). * A Rinnegan wielder normally has A ranks for all elemental affinities, but can momentarily lower ranks across all affinities to promote one to EX rank. * A Mangekyo Sharingan, Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, or Mugenkyou Sharingan allows one to use EX-rank fire techniques like Amaterasu and other more advanced Enton jutsu. Sample Elemental Affinities: Sarutobi Hiruzen * Fire: A+ * Wind: A * Earth: A * Water: A * Lightning: A Jiraiya * Fire: A+ * Earth: A+ * Water: B * Wind: C * Lightning: C Hatake Kakashi * Lightning: A+ * Fire: B++ * Water: B++ * Wind: B++ * Lightning: B++ Category:Kekkei Genkai Category:Sharingan Category:Rinnegan Category:Dojutsu Category:Elemental Manipulation Category:Arcane Heart series Category:Wood Release